Countdown
by Clarobell
Summary: Oneshot. Barnaby can't help but worry about Kotetsu with only one minutes use of his powers. He has to look out for him to make sure he doesn't wind up hurt. Gift for a special friend.


**Countdown**

**01:00**

They hadn't seen the signs as they entered. 'Scheduled for demolition', 'DANGER', 'Do Not Enter'; they didn't exactly stop to read signs when chasing a criminal. The NEXT they were after had super speed and toyed with them on live TV like a cat among mice.

**00:54**

A plan was devised to chase the culprit away from the city, into the outskirts where the dusty old buildings could hide a trap or two. He was smart though. The first few traps didn't even touch him. A net that he'd already evaded before it even set off, a swat team ready with non-lethal weapons that didn't even see him speed through and accidentally attacked the heroes that followed him. They'd already herded him through the city for hours. They were exhausted.

**00:48**

Barnaby glanced back at Kotetsu as the hero followed pace behind him. He could hear from their com-link that Kotetsu was tired, out of breath. He was fit but he was still older. Barnaby couldn't help but worry.

"Oi… Bunny. Eyes on… the prize, hah?"

Barnaby blinked and realised he'd slowed to a point where Kotetsu had caught up with him.

"Right."

**00:42**

The broadcast came over all of their radios. The culprit had finally been caught in one of the traps. Bison had cornered him on a rooftop of an old skyscraper. He'd chased him onto an adhesive paste laid on the rooftop, but in his haste to apprehend the man had become stuck himself. Now it was a free for all to get the points.

"Let's go, Kotetsu-san." Barnaby said as his suit took on the familiar glow brought on by the activation of his powers.

"Right!" Kotetsu answered. He couldn't keep up and Barnaby knew it, but his answer was an unspoken permission to go ahead. They were partners and Kotetsu trusted him to handle it. He would provide backup if needed when he got there. Barnaby went ahead alone.

**00:37**

The building was twenty floors high. It was old, scheduled for destruction later that year. When the NEXT broke free, all hell broke loose on the rooftop. The building foundations simply couldn't stand it. Kotetsu had been forced to activate his diminished powers at least twenty seconds ago. Was it more? Barnaby struggled to remember as his head darted left, then right, trying to decide the best course of action. He could jump. The fall would take maybe ten seconds. He could use his boosters but did Kotetsu have enough time? He could catch him, perhaps…

**00:31**

"Follow the others!" Barnaby called as he turned to follow the criminal up the flight of stairs he'd retreated to. "You don't have enough time left. I'll take care of him!"

He sprinted up the stairs aided by his hundred power and didn't hear Kotetsu call after him.

**00:26**

Barnaby cornered the NEXT at the rooftop once more. The ground rumbled beneath them as the building began to give way. There was no escape. The adhesive tar was cracked but would trap him if he tried to escape and Barnaby blocked the only way down.

"Bunny!"

Barnaby whirled around in shock. "Kotetsu, I told you to go! You can't be here!"

"Bunny we have to go! We've got to go _now_!"

"You go, I can handle this, your power—"

Barnaby was cut off as the foundations of the building finally gave way and the ground beneath their feet crumbled away.

**00:20**

"Bunny, let's go!" Kotetsu shouted over the roar of the perished building. Barnaby was yanked forward as his partner grabbed his hand and pulled him into a run towards the edge of the building, building momentum as they went.

"Kotetsu, you can't…!"

"Bunny, jump!"

**00:15**

Barnaby didn't have time to argue as he leapt from the building towards the closest neighbouring skyscraper. It was too far for any normal man, but with his hundred power and his boosters they could make it. He could pull Kotetsu with him. His eyes widened as the familiar feeling of power flowing through his veins dissipated.

**00:11**

He felt Kotetsu's hand tightened in his own as his leap flew much further, his suit still glowing with the flow of Hundred Power. Kotetsu lifted his arm and shot a wire into the neighbouring skyscraper. It hooked and they swung forward. Kotetsu's hold shift from Barnaby's wrist to his waist as he hoisted him up and held him securely as they were propelled towards the concrete wall.

**00:03**

Barnaby felt Kotetsu's grunt more than anything else as he took the brunt of the impact. His wire held strong and they swung there as the building they'd just stood on crumbled to the ground along with the NEXT they'd been chasing all night.

**00:02**

He looked at Kotetsu in shock. He'd been so concerned with managing his partner's countdown he'd forgotten all about his own.

**00:01**

Kotetsu awkwardly managed to lift his visor and offered up a pained smile. He was probably bruised but Barnaby saw the blue fade from his eyes and knew it would have been a lot worse without his active powers.

"Kotetsu…"

"Do you think he got out?" Kotetsu asked as his gaze drifted to the crumbled remains of the other building.

"I don't know." Barnaby answered. He didn't. He hadn't seen him escape.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Bunny…"

"I didn't realise…"

"Yeah, I know."

"You did?"

"Mm. I was counting."

**00:00**

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**00:00**

**\- - : - -**

**00:00**


End file.
